Birds & Blooms Extra! - USA (2020-09)

62 birdsandblooms.com SEPTEMBER EXTRA 2020

ASK THE EXPERTS

Q What kind of caterpillars are on my

parsley? It’s as if they showed up overnight.

Jackie Gannon WRENTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

Kenn and Kimberly: For anyone who plants parsley, we

always recommend you plant twice as much as you need

so you’ll have some to share with these black swallowtail

caterpillars. It’s easy to overlook the adult female

when she stops to lay a few tiny eggs on the

parsley. The caterpillars themselves are also

very inconspicuous for the first few days

after they hatch. When they’re finally big

enough to be noticeable, it does seem as

if they magically appeared overnight. By this

time, they are almost full-grown and will soon

stop eating to form their chrysalises, giving

parsley a chance to recover.

Black

swallowtail

eggs on

parsley